Exiled
by GirlInTheGreenHoodie
Summary: Spared eternity in a cell by Frigga's compassion, Loki is exiled to Midgard, only able to return to Asgard if he can find a way to redeem himself. He knows he is not the first Asgardian to be banished to Earth, but Loki will soon find that neither was Thor...
1. Chapter I

**Chapter I**

Loki's footsteps, made heavier by the weight of his manacles, echoed through the throne room. He was dressed in little more than ragged peasant clothes, but he kept his head high, defiantly meeting the Allfather's gaze. A gaze filled with disappointment.

"Loki…" came Frigga's voice, still full of motherly concern.

"Hello, Mother. Have I made you proud?" Loki sneered, determined to hide from Odin that he still cared about his adopted mother.

"Loki, please-"

"Enough!" Frigga's words were silenced by Odin's command. "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

 _He cannot even bring himself to say my name,_ Loki thought bitterly. _As if it would sully his tongue to utter it._

He buried his rage and instead smiled with mock sincerity, hoping to anger Odin.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about," he said, with a flippant laugh. "I went down to Midgard to rule the people of Earth as a benevolent god… Just like you."

"We are not gods," Odin replied, stern but controlled. "We are born, we live, we die – just as humans do."

"Give or take five thousand years," Loki smirked.

Odin let out a weary sigh. He had not expected any remorse from Loki, but he had hoped that perhaps, just _perhaps_ …

"All this because Loki desires a throne."

There was something in his tone, something that suggested that such a desire was ridiculous, that made Loki's anger breach his façade.

"It is my birthright," he snarled.

"Your birthright was to die! As a child, cast out onto a frozen rock!" Odin spat out, before regaining his composure. "If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now, to hate me."

"If I am for the axe, then for mercy's sake, just swing it."

"I would have you feel the pain you have caused a hundredfold before the axe fell," Odin told Loki, his voice distorted by disgust. "Frigga's compassion is the only reason I have spared you that fate, and if you never atone for your actions, then you will never see her again! Living a while on Midgard made Thor worthy of his place on Asgard; Frigga hopes that in time it will do the same for you. You will learn what it is to be human, and you will redeem yourself against your past wrongs, or you will never return."

Loki stood, stunned. He had expected Odin to demand his life in payment for his actions, and had been prepared to give it. But this? This was humiliating, degrading. To be forced to live as a pathetic mortal, to be punished the same way as his arrogant, oafish adopted brother; this was the final insult.

"Take him to the bifrost," Odin commanded, refusing to look at Loki as he was dragged, struggling and yelling, from the throne room.

* * *

Loki fought against his restraints all the way out to the edge of Asgard, his composure shattering as he snarled and cursed. One of the guards clamped a hand around Loki's forearm, hard enough to draw a pained hiss from between his teeth.

"I will be watching you," Heimdall told him, emotionless as he activated the bifrost. "If you ever are worthy of returning, I will know."

And with that, Loki was thrown gracelessly into the bright lights, and cast out of Asgard.

* * *

Loki had travelled on the bifrost countless times before, but this was different; he was being buffeted about, out of control, edging towards unconsciousness as he felt himself fall violently downward. In a brief second, Loki swore he could make out an expanse of desert beneath him, and then all went black.

* * *

The disgraced prince of Asgard awoke to a blistering heat, the wind doing little more than stirring up the dry dirt. He did not know how long he had lay there, crumpled and unconscious, but a layer of dust clung to every inch of his hair and clothing. He tried to push himself to his feet, and cursed. A pain flared in his ankle and his head began to swim, black spots dancing across his vision. It took two more attempts before he was standing, unsteady on his feet. Besides his injured ankle and light-headedness, something else felt amiss. A sort of hollowness, the kind one felt when grieving. It was then that he noticed the thin gold band locked tight around his forearm. Hard as he tried, he could not remove the band, and as he read the runes engraved on its surface, a coldness settled in the pit of his stomach.

Loki concentrated and attempted his favourite trick, trying to summon an illusion in his own image. Nothing. He tried again and again, becoming exhausted with the effort of it, but his fears were confirmed; Odin had stripped him of his magic. The one thing Loki had that Thor did not, the one thing that could give him higher standing than his adopted brother – gone. But it was more than that – his magic was his connection to Frigga, the one thing that could make him feel like he was still her son, in spite of everything. And it had been taken from him.

He let out an anguished cry as he realised he had nothing left. His family, his birthright, his home, and now his magic. Even his identity had been stripped from him – he was not Loki Odinson, he never had been, but neither would he call himself a son of Laufey. He was Loki, son of none. An outcast.

Realising he had no other choice, Loki began stumbling through the desert, heading towards some distant hills. Perhaps he would find a Midgardian civilisation; perhaps he would die out in the desert. Loki wasn't even sure which would be worse.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set when Loki's legs gave way with exhaustion. He collapsed onto the dirt and lay there, still, unwilling and unable to get back up. He was only half-conscious, barely registering what was going on around him until he felt a pressure on the base of his skull, something hard and cold.

"You make any kind of movement I haven't told you to, and you're dead, got it?" came a man's voice, calm and yet threatening, and Loki came to the conclusion that he had some form of Midgardian weapon held to his head.

"Now get up, slowly," instructed the voice. Upon realising he was unable to stand, the voice issued an order and Loki was pulled to his feet.

The owner of the voice walked round to examine Loki, and swore in surprise. He looked both incredulous and angry as he spoke into a small black box.

"You're going to want to get the Director in on this one – we've got another Asgardian out here, half dead by the look of it, and Fury won't be happy when he finds out who it is."

Loki, who had been studying the man's face, suddenly realised why he looked familiar.

"On the floating fortress – didn't I kill you?" he asked.

The man met his gaze and stared him down.

"Yeah, you did. And I'm still pretty damn pissed about it." With that, the man brought his weapon round and struck Loki hard across the temple, sending him once more into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter II

**Chapter II**

Slowly coming to, Loki was greeted by the unrelenting glare of Nick Fury. A brief glance at his surroundings told Loki he was once again in a Midgardian cage, with a thick wall of glass separating him from the man who very clearly wanted him dead. This time, however, Fury looked far more suspicious than pleased.

"Good, you're awake," he remarked as Loki pushed himself to his feet, a sharp pain coursing through his head. "Now you can tell me what the hell you're doing back here less than two months after we sent you to Asgard to face some of their justice."

"You talk as if you're not afraid of me, but I know you better than that," Loki sneered, unwilling to admit the truth so readily. "You know the extent of my power, you know how easily I could tear the life from you. Why else would you put me in here?"

Fury scowled, his anger and impatience obvious.

"Why. Are. You. Here?" he snarled. "If you're not gonna talk then-"

"You'll get Agent Romanoff to try her tricks on me again?" Loki interjected.

"No, if you're not gonna talk then I can get Dr Banner down here to _make_ you."

"Go ahead," Loki replied, calling Fury's bluff. He feigned nonchalance, but in reality, the thought of encountering the green monster again made him very uneasy.

"Alright, fine, if that's how you wanna play it. But if you try anything funny, you won't be getting 'justice' this time, you'll be getting shot. Understand?"

When he realised Loki wasn't going to respond, Fury turned and strode off, his coat flying out behind him.

* * *

Agent Hill was watching the monitor closely when Fury arrived back on the top floor of the SHIELD base.

"He tried anything yet?" he asked.

"No, sir," Agent Hill answered, a deep frown furrowing her brows. "He's done nothing but sit there staring into space since you left. I don't like it sir, it feels like the helicarrier all over again."

"I don't like it either," Fury admitted, leaning forward to stare at the image of Loki on the screen in front of him. "What are you up to?" he muttered.

"Oh, and sir?"

Fury looked up from the monitor.

"Yes?"

"Coulson's requested to be moved to a different facility, for fairly obvious reasons."

Fury sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Normally I'd say no, but given the circumstances… Alright, find him some work elsewhere ASAP. Now, do we have any way of contacting Thor? If anyone has a clue what the hell Loki's doing down here, it'd be him."

Agent Hill quickly turned to a spare computer, typing away, until a file for Dr J. Foster appeared on her screen.

"According to this, Dr Foster's work is still a little way off being ready for prototypes, so unless we can do something to provoke Thor into coming here, I think we're on our own, sir."

"I think provoking another god is the last thing we want to do. Just… make sure someone's keeping an eye on Loki, and let me know if anything changes."

"Yes, sir."

Fury walked away, suppressing a growing urge to punch something. In the wake of the Battle of New York, SHIELD had been pretty busy trying to adjust to the new level of exposure for the Avengers. And now, just as everything had begun to calm down, and Fury had even been considering giving out extra holiday time, _this_ had happened. Fury groaned, and headed to the nearest coffee machine. With this new bundle of stress that had been dropped on SHIELD's doorstep, he was going to need caffeine. And lots of it.

* * *

 _Three Weeks Later_

Loki barely registered the pain of his fingernails breaking the skin of his palm. His attention was overridden by the electricity coursing through his body like fire. He gritted his teeth and held back the urge to cry out. He would not let the mortals think they had broken him so easily.

Relief came so sharp and sudden it felt like a blow to the stomach. Loki's muscles gradually ceased in their convulsions, and he drew in heavy, jagged breaths.

"Why are you here?"

Loki didn't know who was asking, but he laughed through his residual pain. It had been four days since Fury had grown impatient with Loki's silence, and ordered his people to get an answer by whatever means necessary. It was always the same question, the one Fury had snapped at him through the glass of his cell when he had first arrived. _Why are you here?_ Loki was determined not to give up the answer.

The 'interrogations' were painful, that much was true, but the mortals were mistaken if they thought Loki had not endured worse before. His pride, if nothing else, was what let him push through it. Loki could not admit his magic was gone, and that he had been banished to Midgard.

"Why are you here?!" came the voice again, furious this time. Loki was vaguely aware of the hum of the machine beside him, the electricity building up for another round.

"You think your little toys frighten me?" Loki spat. "You mortals are even more pathetic than I realised."

Despite his taunts, Loki tensed, bracing himself for the pain. Sure enough, it came like a shockwave, contorting his body against his will and threatening to tear a cry from his lips. He could feel the tension in every limb as the current running through him made his muscles contract, and had to fight to keep his breathing controlled. The spasms began after a few seconds, and Loki's restraints cut into his wrists as his movements pulled them tighter and tighter. It felt as though white-hot blades were being shoved mercilessly into his skull, searing and burning and-

The pain fell away abruptly as Loki blacked out.

It took a few seconds for his interrogators to realise what had happened. They cut the power, and watched the muscles twitch in Loki's otherwise limp body.

"Alright, take him back to the cell, we'll carry on tomorrow," came Fury's voice in the interrogators' earpieces. He was watching the procedure carefully from behind a one-way mirror, growing ever more indignant with each hour that Loki refused to break under the pain. "Next time, cut the charge sooner, we need him awake to answer questions," he ordered, his voice verging on a growl.

Loki's twitching subsided as he was carried back to his cell and left lying on the cold floor. And in his unconsciousness, memories of Asgard flitted through his mind.

* * *

 _Loki is younger, still a boy, sat in one of the palace courtyards. The image he's conjured of himself, already off-coloured and translucent, flickers and is extinguished. Loki curses._

 _"Don't let your father hear you using that sort of language," Frigga scolds him gently._

 _"But it won't work!" Loki cries in frustration, his frown deepening. "I can't do it!"_

 _Frigga takes her son's hands in her own, and smiles warmly. "Patience, Loki. It is a difficult trick to master the first time, you just need to focus and practice."_

 _"What if I_ can't _do it though," Loki says quietly, his face falling. He looks up at the sound of laughter, to see Thor and his friends traipsing back into the palace. They look worn out, their faces flushed red, and are dragging sparring sticks along behind them. Thor notices Loki and his mother and waves playfully, smiling ear to ear. Loki waves back, but with a little less enthusiasm._

 _"I bet Thor could do it. He's better than me at fighting, and I bet he'd be better than me at this too," Loki grumbles in childish frustration._

 _Frigga laughs at Loki's sulking, and reaches out to stroke his hair._

 _"Thor's better at fighting because he's spent more time practicing than you, that's all," she tells him. "And just between you and me, you're better at magic than I was at your age, so I know you'll master it soon. You have a wonderful talent for it."_

 _"Really?" Loki asks incredulously._

 _"Really," Frigga replies, and pulls Loki into a hug. "Come now, I think we've earned a rest. Do you want to try again tomorrow?"_

 _"Yes please!"_

 _Loki can't stop smiling as he and Frigga head back inside. Her praise means the world to him, and he's determined to prove her right about his talent._ I'll become a master of magic, _he swears to himself,_ and mother will be so proud of me.


	3. Chapter III

**Chapter III**

Heimdall turned as he heard Thor approach. The gatekeeper's face was pulled into a deep frown, and for a moment, Thor was gripped by fear.

"Jane, is she-?"

"She is safe and well," Heimdall reassured him quickly. "It is Loki I must speak to you about."

Thor felt another twist in his stomach, but altogether different to the first. _Loki_. He did not know what to think anymore, when it came to his estranged brother. Perhaps, _perhaps_ Thor could have forgiven him for his attempt to destroy Jotunheim. He remembered watching Loki falling, remembered mourning him, and thought perhaps he _had_ forgiven his brother, when he believed he was dead. But after what had happened on Midgard, he knew Loki was beyond reason, beyond hope. His brother, the Loki he had grown up with, was gone. And he could not forgive the monster who had wrought such death and destruction.

"What of him?" Thor asked steadily, pushing aside his turbulent emotions.

"He is in the custody of the group known as SHIELD. They are submitting him to torture in an attempt to gain information. Because of his previous actions, they believe he is there of his own will, and means to make another attack on Midgard," Heimdall explained. There was an edge to his words; he despised Loki for his actions, but he could not abide the idea of torture. "If Loki is to redeem himself as the Queen hopes, I feel that the Midgardians must know why he is there. Otherwise, I believe they will torture him until he is dead."

Thor paused and considered the gatekeeper's words. He knew of SHIELD's hatred for Loki, and he knew that they could be cruel and ruthless in their actions – after all, Fury had even approached Thor about torturing Loki when they had last held him captive. Despite how he felt about Loki, Thor still held on to the sliver of foolish hope that his brother could be brought back. And even if it were not for that, he had to do something for his mother's sake. She was unyielding in her belief that Loki could be redeemed, and Thor knew how the knowledge of what was happening on Midgard would hurt her.

"Very well, Heimdall. I will send someone to inform SHIELD of Loki's banishment. You will tell me if he tries to harm anyone?"

"Of course."

* * *

"You want me to go and plead to your Midgardians for _Loki's safety_?"

Sif's eyes were brimming with anger as they met Thor's. He had not expected her to take too well to his request, but her outburst of rage had still managed to startle him.

"After all he has done, after everything he put you through, you want to _protect_ him? He is not your brother, Thor, not anymore!"

"Please, Lady Sif, I am not asking you to beg for him. Just to deliver a message. I would go myself, but… I cannot face him."

Sif's face softened as she heard the pain in Thor's voice.

"I know, I'm sorry. I did not mean to be so harsh," she apologised quickly. "It's just that I cannot ignore what Loki did. I hate him for what he has done to you."

"This is more for Mother's sake than my own," Thor admitted. "She will not give up on Loki. My time on Midgard changed me for the better, and she hopes that in time, the same will happen to Loki."

"I will deliver the message, do not worry," Sif promised, resting her hand lightly on Thor's arm. She met his eyes and gave a slight smirk. "But you owe me a favour," she joked.

"Thank you, Lady Sif." Thor smiled, grateful that he could always count on Sif's friendship. With everything that had happened, he needed it more than ever.

* * *

Agent Hill looked rather flustered as she pushed open the door to Director Fury's office, followed by the intimidating figure of Lady Sif.

"Sir, I'm sorry for the lack of notice, but she demanded-"

"You are in charge of this organisation?" Sif inquired sharply, cutting Agent Hill off mid-sentence.

"Another Asgardian? You know, every time one of you shows up, it causes nothing but trouble for us. And I'm just about done with it," Fury complained. "What do you want?"

"I am Lady Sif, and I come on behalf of Thor," Sif explained, trying not to react angrily to Fury's tone. "You are to end your interrogations of Loki, on Thor's command."

"Sure," the director responded sarcastically. "Just as soon as he tells us what the hell he's up to. Remember that Loki killed a lot of people last time he was here, so if there's the slightest chance he's going to try it again, I need to know."

Sif let out a sigh. She hated the idea of arguing for Loki's benefit, but she had to. _For Thor,_ she told herself.

"Loki is not here of his own choice," she began. "It is part of his punishment for his actions against both your people and my own. At the request of his Queen, Odin Allfather has decreed that Loki is to be banished to Midgard, as Thor was before him. He shall only be allowed to return to Asgard if he finds a way to atone for his actions. He cannot do so if subjected to your interrogations."

There was a moment of silence, during which Agent Hill stared uncomprehendingly at Lady Sif. The Asgardians had sent Loki back to Earth, after he had tried to conquer it? Did they want him to finish the job?

"When is this Odin going to realise that he can't treat Earth as a damn time-out zone for his kids?" Fury groaned, more annoyed than angry.

"What happens if Loki attacks our people?" Agent Hill cut in. "We can't keep calling the Avengers together for his sake, we need them elsewhere."

"Our Gatekeeper, Heimdall, will be watching. If Loki harms anyone, my people will take him back to Asgard to face due punishment."

"'Due punishment' is what we sent him to Asgard for in the first place," Agent Hill retorted, unable to keep quiet in her anger. "But it seems like you care more about _him_ than you do about our entire planet."

Sif paused and gave a weary sigh.

"Believe me when I tell you I have no desire to be pleading for Loki's sake. In my eyes, he deserves any punishment you wish upon him. I am here because Thor asked it of me, in turn for the sake of his mother, Queen Frigga." She turned back to address Fury, with all the authority she could muster. "As much as Loki has wronged your people, the matter of his punishment is the Allfather's decision to make. Do I have your word that you will do as asked?"

"Fine. Just don't expect me to ignore what he's done."

"Of course not. If you could escort me outside, I must return home. Farewell," Sif concluded, and allowed Agent Hill to lead her from Fury's office.

* * *

"What are we going to do with him now?" Fury asked, half to himself. He had just given the order to have Loki's interrogations ended, and he and Agent Hill were trying to decide their next step.

"There's no way SHIELD's going to be able to keep him in line, he thinks we're all so insignificant. And you're right about the Avengers, we're not pulling them in for this. But we need someone to keep an eye on him, and somewhere else to put him – I don't like him being here, not with all our assets in reach."

"Director…" Agent Hill began hesitantly.

"What is it, Agent?"

"I just thought- What you said about him not listening to us because he thinks we're insignificant. Would he be more likely to listen to another Asgardian?"

"You want me to try and bring Thor down here to babysit?" asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow.

"Not Thor, Director. The _other_ Asgardian," Agent Hill answered, and Fury paused as he realised who she was talking about.

"You know, I'd almost forgotten about that. Give the order, bring her in. It's worth a shot."


	4. Chapter IV

**Chapter IV**

"Get up!"

Loki awoke at the guard's shout, but couldn't find enough strength to even force open his eyes. Standing wasn't a possibility. He felt a sharp kick to his leg, and the command was repeated. Grinding his teeth together against the pain, Loki managed to sit up, his head hung low.

"What… now?" he asked, in the most irritated tone he could muster. He was ashamed by how weak his voice sounded.

"There's someone coming to collect you. You're being moved to another facility."

Loki didn't respond, even when he heard approaching footsteps. Two sets – the 'someone' collecting him and another guard, he guessed. He continued to look down at his lap, his arms straining from holding his weight up.

"Loki?"

The 'someone' was female and, Loki realised, she recognised him. The surprise was enough to make him force his head up to look at her.

"Why is he injured?" the woman demanded when she saw Loki's face. The guards faltered under her furious glare, not even attempting an explanation.

Loki was still staring in disbelief at the woman in the doorway of his cell, a woman he hadn't seen in a very long time. Even dressed in Midgardian clothes, she was unmistakeable.

" _Sigyn?_ " Loki was struggling to comprehend how she could be right there, in front of him. Breathing heavily through his pain, he managed to force out the thought that was pushing through the tumult of confusion.

"But… I went to your funeral…" he stammered, before shock and exhaustion pulled him into the familiar embrace of unconsciousness. But instead of being surrounded by the usual blackness, Loki's head filled with memories.

* * *

 _Loki sits at the edge of the arena while Thor and Fandral spar. Volstagg and Hogun are nursing what will very soon be heavy bruises, but are still laughing as they watch their friends. Uninterested in their fighting, Loki practices his magic absentmindedly. An illusion of a small green serpent is twisting its way along his arm when his friend sits down beside him._

 _"When are you going to stop being better than me?" Sigyn asks, gesturing to the serpent._

 _"When Thor gets bored of beating things up," Loki replies with a smile, the illusion vanishing._

 _They've been practising magic together for decades, ever since Sigyn first came to the palace with her older sister, Sif. Although lacking Loki's flair for illusions and tricks, Sigyn excelled in healing, and was often patching up Sif and her friends._

 _"I suppose I ought to offer my help to Hogun and Volstagg," Sigyn says, but with a smile that suggests she has no intention of doing so._

 _"It's their own fault for always challenging each other to their ridiculous brawls," Loki responds._

 _At that moment, Fandral is thrown backwards across the arena, landing in a crumpled heap at Loki's feet._

 _"See? Ridiculous."_

 _Sigyn rolls her eyes at her friend._

 _"You enjoy sparring sometimes," she points out. "Especially when you outwit Thor with your tricks."_

 _"When does he not fall for them?" Loki laughs. "I can't believe someone so foolish has a chance of becoming the heir to the throne of Asgard in a couple of years. Hopefully father will see some sense before then," he adds, still smiling, but Sigyn knows he isn't completely joking._

 _"Well, I know who I would choose, if it were up to me," she tells him, nudging his shoulder playfully._

 _Loki is about to thank her when Thor's booming voice rolls across the arena._

 _"Brother! Sigyn! Will you join us? It has been a while since we've seen you both fight!"_

 _"Only if I get to fight Loki, instead of you – I want a challenge!" Sigyn calls in response, and Thor laughs good-naturedly. She turns to Loki, grinning._

 _"Are you up to it?" she taunts, jokingly._

 _Loki gets up and strides into the centre of the arena, to the cheers of Thor and the Warriors Three. Sif gives her sister an encouraging smile._

 _"I'll hold back on the magic, shall I?" Loki smirks as Sigyn takes her place opposite him. "Give you a chance?"_

 _"It's your choice," Sigyn responds. "How quickly do you want to lose?"_

* * *

 _It's the day before summer solstice, and Loki walks through the palace halls towards the throne room. He finds it a little unusual that his mother and father have sent for him, but he guesses they must want his help with preparations. Loki has a fondness for the summer solstice celebrations – the feasting, the music, the exchanging of gifts, and though he won't admit it, the amusement of watching his brother's drunken antics._

 _"Did you need my help?" Loki asks happily as he enters the throne room, but stops dead when he sees the expressions on his parents' faces. His stomach twists as he realises that whatever he is about to be told cannot be good news. Odin is unable to meet Loki's eye, a deep frown distorting his brows, and Frigga's face is heavy with sadness. She strides forwards and takes her son's hands in her own, and Loki can see she is holding back tears._

 _"Mother…? What is it?" he asks tentatively, not truly wanting to know the answer. He braces himself for whatever might be coming, but the words still pierce him like a knife between the ribs._

 _"It's Sigyn."_

 _"What happened?" Loki's voice is hardly above a whisper, and he feels as if the weight of Mjolnir is pressing on his chest._

 _"She was taken ill during the night," Frigga begins. "The healers tried all they could, but the sickness…" The queen's voice trails off as she seems to choke on the words._

 _Loki looks to Odin and then back to his mother, searching for some sign that Frigga's words do not mean what he thinks. He blinks, and feels tears roll down his face. He tries to speak, but the shock has rendered him voiceless. Before he can register it, Frigga's arms are wrapped tightly around him, trying to console him._

 _"Loki, I'm so sorry."_

* * *

 _The sounds of the summer solstice feast echo faintly from the dining halls, as Loki leans on the edge of the balcony and stares out at the sky. He has tried to join in with the festivities, but he cannot. The loss of Sigyn weighs too heavily on his mind. Summer solstice was her favourite time of year; she always sang after the feast, and would try and get Loki to join in the dancing, with varying levels of success. It only makes her absence at the festivities even more pronounced._

 _Loki looks down at the delicate crystal flower in his hand, the one he has enchanted so that the colours change with the hours of the day. Sigyn's solstice gift. He had been so proud of it, so eager to give it to her. And now she is gone._

 _"Loki?"_

 _He turns when he hears his name, to see Sif standing a few feet away. She smiles, but there is sadness in it, and he can tell her eyes are threatening tears._

 _"Lady Sif," he replies politely._

 _"May I join you?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _Sif is silent for a few moments, stood next to Loki on the balcony. Her hands are toying with a roll of parchment, tied with a black ribbon._

 _"It's not right without her there, is it? It feels empty," Sif murmurs, allowing her tears to fall freely. "I always thought of summer solstice as_ her _festival."_

 _Loki reaches out and rests his hand gently on Sif's arm._

 _"I'm so sorry for your loss, Lady Sif. I cannot imagine your pain."_

 _"Yes you can," Sif responds. "You care about her as much as I do. You were her best friend, I hope you know that. She would have wanted you to."_

 _"Thank you," Loki smiles. He is a little surprised by Sif's kindness – they haven't always seen eye to eye – but her words mean a lot to him._

 _Sif takes a long look at the parchment in her hands, then offers it to Loki._

 _"I found it in her room this morning," she explains. "She was going to give it to you as your solstice present."_

 _Loki takes the parchment and holds up the crystal flower to show Sif._

 _"This was meant to be for her. It's enchanted, it changes colours… I thought she would like it," he tells her, his voice catching. He holds out the flower for Sif to take, but she shakes her head._

 _"I think Sigyn would have liked you to hold on to it," she protests. "To help remember her by."_

 _"You should have it."_

 _"No, you keep it," Sif insists. "I think I might return to the festivities now, but I want to thank you for being a friend to my sister. She cared for you very much."_

 _"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Sif," Loki says, giving a polite bow. "Enjoy your evening."_

 _When Sif is gone, Loki removes the ribbon from the scroll and unrolls it. Drawn on the parchment in charcoal is a portrait of him, mid-laugh. Loki smiles as he admires it, having to blink away the tears that blur his vision. He had no idea that Sigyn could draw so well – not a single detail has been left out. He doesn't know quite when it happens, but suddenly he is crying freely, as the full weight of Sigyn's loss hits him once more._

* * *

 _The funeral is almost too much for Loki to bear. The finality of it is inescapable. Loki watches silently as the funereal barge floats by him, carrying Sigyn's body. He can see her face beneath the veil, her closed eyes and peaceful expression. He almost wishes he hadn't seen it, so his memories would be only of her smiles and laughter. Frigga stands by his side for the entire ceremony, reaching out to gently rest her hand on his shoulder as the lights are released into the sky. Sif and her mother, Freya, are the first to let theirs go, followed by Loki. Freya takes her daughter's hand and squeezes it, while Thor puts an arm around Sif's shoulders. Loki catches his brother's eye for a moment, and Thor nods his head, wordlessly conveying his condolences._

 _Loki stays long after the burning boat has gone over the edge of Asgard, Sigyn's body scattering into light. He stays after everyone else has left, staring out at the horizon until the emerging daylight obscures Sigyn's stars._


	5. Chapter V

**Chapter V**

" _What have you done to him?_ " Sigyn snarled at the two very nervous guards. She had run forward when Loki began falling sideways, and was now sat beside him, holding him up.

"We… There were orders to, um, interrogate him," one of the guards stammered, his voice almost a squeak. They didn't know anything about the auburn-haired woman in front of them, but somehow they were certain that she was dangerous.

"You _tortured_ him? How dare you!" Sigyn yelled, seething at the state Loki was in.

"Would you li- like us to get him to the medical wing?" the other guard offered weakly, stuttering.

"I'll take care of him," Sigyn snapped, placing her outstretched hand on Loki's chest. She closed her eyes in concentration, using her magic to examine the damage and begin healing her friend. Her anger only grew as she realised the extent of Loki's injuries.

After a few minutes, Loki stirred.

"Can you walk?" Sigyn asked him gently. "I've healed the worst, but you'll need lots of rest. Not until we've gotten out of here, though."

"With a little assistance, I think I'll manage," Loki replied weakly. He felt better, but still exhausted.

Sigyn stood, draped Loki's arm around her shoulders, and helped him to his feet.

"Show me out," she commanded the guards, who had been staring in shock after seeing Loki's injuries vanish before their eyes. "Now!" Sigyn shouted, rousing them from their astonishment.

The Asgardians were led to a waiting SHIELD vehicle, and Sigyn helped Loki into the backseat.

"Sigyn, how…?" Loki began, but Sigyn shushed him.

"Explanations later," she told him. "You're exhausted, you need to rest. The journey will take a few hours, you should try and sleep."

"Where are we going?" Loki asked, already feeling his eyelids drop. He only just caught Sigyn's reply before he fell asleep.

"Home."

* * *

Sigyn gently nudged Loki awake when they arrived in the parking lot of the apartment building. Loki paid very little attention to his surroundings as they took the elevator to the sixteenth floor, leaning heavily on Sigyn the whole time. The driver accompanied them, a large duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Once inside Sigyn's apartment, Loki was lowered carefully onto the nearest sofa, and the duffel bag was dropped beside him.

"There's some basic clothes in there, just for the time being," the agent informed Sigyn. "We'll be wiring some extra money to your account for food, clothes, and anything else you need to buy for him. You've also been given a standard issue weapon, in case of emergencies."

"Emergencies?" Sigyn frowned. "What do you mean?"

The agent paused, throwing a distrusting look in Loki's direction.

"You knew him, back where you came from? You were friends?" she asked. Sigyn nodded. "Well, you might not know him anymore."

Sigyn stayed where she was as the agent left, stunned into silence. What was that supposed to mean, that she might not know Loki anymore? Why had they been torturing him? She knew he had been involved in the invasion of New York, but what was SHIELD not telling her?

She turned to look at Loki, suddenly confused as a thousand questions vied for her attention.

"Sigyn? Where are we?" Loki asked. He felt very disorientated, unable to make sense of Sigyn being there on Midgard, or the fact that SHIELD knew her.

"This is my home, Loki," Sigyn explained kindly, but her smile fell short of her eyes. "The closest thing I have to one, anyway. I promise I'll explain things in the morning but you need to rest before you collapse again."

"That sounds… wise," Loki agreed, allowing Sigyn to help him up from the sofa and along a corridor to the guest bedroom. He was asleep within seconds of lying down, the first time he'd slept in a comfortable bed for longer than he could remember.

* * *

Sigyn fetched a spare blanket and draped it over Loki, careful not to wake him. As she was about to turn out the light and leave, she took one more look at her sleeping friend, her anger dissolving away. In its absence, she was hit by a cocktail of emotions – happiness, confusion, relief, sadness, surprise – and burst into tears before she could stop herself.

She had been on Midgard for longer than three years, cut off from Asgard and her people, completely alone. She had adjusted to Midgardian life, and had almost given up on the idea that she might ever return home and see her friends and family again. And suddenly, Loki was here. She had hoped and wished for it, but she had never expected to see her closest friend again. He was hurt and confused, but he was here.

 _"But… I went to your funeral…"_

Loki's words from earlier pushed to the front of her thoughts, and her confusion grew. Why did Loki think she was dead? Did everyone back on Asgard believe the same?

She had never had a chance to say goodbye, to explain why she had to leave… Had the Allfather simply spread a lie that she was dead to avoid questions?

Sigyn hastily brushed the tears from her cheeks, turning off the spare bedroom light but leaving the door ajar for when Loki awoke. _Tomorrow_ , she told herself. _Tomorrow we can answer each other's questions._

She climbed into her own bed still fully dressed, the comforting embrace of sleep eventually overcoming the tide of her emotions.

* * *

Loki woke up abruptly the next morning, surprised to find he was lying on soft sheets instead of the hard, bare slab of metal that had served as a bed in his cell. He surveyed the room – it was fairly small and simple in its décor, with muted sunlight pushing through pale curtains. It took a moment for Loki to recall where he was, and with the realisation came a flood of memories from the day before. But one thought overrode the rest: _Sigyn_.

Sigyn was _alive_.

It hardly seemed possible. More to prove he hadn't been dreaming than for any other reason, Loki climbed out of the bed and made for the open door. His muscles ached, but he felt far stronger and more rested than he had in weeks. There was a door directly across from his, opened a crack, so he gently pushed it open a little further and peered in.

There she was. Her face was half-obscured by her hair, but it was indisputably Sigyn. As if sensing she was being watched, Sigyn stirred and looked up to see Loki in the doorway. She sat up quickly, blinking away the remnants of sleep.

"Good morning," Loki said simply, his voice shaky as he held back the rush of emotions he felt. Without a word, Sigyn got out of bed, crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Loki's shoulders. He hugged her back, tentatively at first, and then tightly, as the last shreds of his doubt vanished. She was here, real, not an illusion that would dissolve at his touch.

Sigyn broke the embrace after a moment, her eyes brimming with tears but her happiness unmistakeable.

"How do you feel?" she asked. "Do you need anything?"

"I feel much better, thank you – you haven't lost your gift for healing," Loki replied. "But I would appreciate a chance to bathe, and some fresh clothes if you have any," he added, feeling slightly sheepish about making requests of his friend when she had already healed him and taken him into her home.

"Of course."

Loki reached out for Sigyn's arm as she passed him.

"It is good to see you again, Sigyn," he told her, with a warm smile.

"And you, Loki," she replied, resting her hand over his.


	6. Chapter VI

**Chapter VI**

Loki was left to look around the apartment while Sigyn prepared a bath for him – he had offered to sort it himself, but on seeing the confusing Midgardian bathroom, had allowed Sigyn to take care of it.

He began to feel a little uncomfortable as he examined the apartment. It was reasonably large by Midgardian standards, but compared to the size and grandeur of the palace of Asgard, felt small and almost barren. The whole appearance of the place was so alien – there were so many harsh edges and stark contrasts in colours. It felt cold and lifeless, and made Loki long for the golden warmth of his home.

The home he had been cast out of.

A fresh anger began to seep into Loki's mind as he realised the truth; the apartment was just another cage. He was as trapped there as he had been in the cell at the SHIELD base, or in the Asgardian dungeon. Everything about it was an inescapable reminder that he was stuck, far from his home, until…

 _Until what?_ Loki thought. In Odin's words, until he 'redeemed himself'. But how was he supposed to accomplish such a feat when, in the Allfather's eyes, Loki was nothing more than a murderer. All he had ever been to Odin, all he could ever be, was a monster. How could Loki achieve penance when his very blood made him a criminal?

"Loki?"

His head snapped up at Sigyn's voice, having been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard her approach. Even Loki's reunion with Sigyn was tainted – as pleased as he was to see his friend, the fact that she was still alive meant yet another part of his life had been nothing but lies.

"Ah, yes – thank you," Loki replied, realising she must have finished in the bathroom. He brushed past Sigyn without meeting her eyes, trying to push his darkening thoughts aside.

The hot water was a luxury to him, soothing the aches of his muscles as it washed the dust and grime from his skin. It took a little fumbling and reading of labels for Loki to work out what the various products were for, but by the time he stepped out of the bath he felt more refreshed and relaxed than he had in longer than he could remember, even with the shadows that played in his mind.

* * *

Loki was still in the bathroom when Sigyn emerged, freshly showered, from her en-suite. Her hands trembled as she braided her damp hair, revealing her anxiety. She had promised to explain everything to Loki, and she would uphold that promise, but she was nervous. She couldn't know how Loki would react to what she would say. And she wasn't sure she wanted to know why Loki had thought her dead.

But at the heart of it all, Sigyn was dreading talking about Asgard. She had been forced to let go of her past, of her home and her loved ones, and had tried her hardest to forget them. Now, with Loki's arrival on Midgard, all the bittersweet memories would come flooding back, and she would have to bear the pain of them once more.

She set about making breakfast in an effort to distract herself, but the worry clung to her like a second skin. Everything she had witnessed so far – Loki's injuries, his surprise that she was alive – made her feel that Loki's story might not be one she wanted to hear.

Sigyn slammed her fist down on the countertop in a sudden rage. _Why did everything have to go wrong?!_ She had lost everything she loved, everything she knew. And what had she done to deserve it? Knowing the answer made her stomach churn in anger. She longed for the impossible – to go back and change things, to never have overheard the truth that had earned her banishment.

* * *

 _The late afternoon sun warms Sigyn's skin as she wanders through the palace gardens. She is full of excitement for the upcoming summer solstice festivities, especially now that she has finally finished her gift for Loki. Sif walks beside her, in the middle of an animated retelling of her latest exploits with Thor and the Warriors Three. The sisters' laughter draws a few glances, but most people are busy in their preparations._

 _"…and so Thor and I practically had to_ drag _Volstagg away from the celebrations. I've never seen anyone so drunk before in all my days!" Sif concludes, sending Sigyn into yet another fit of giggling._

 _"Funny how you only ever have stories of the others getting into a state when celebrating a battle," Sigyn says slyly. "I wonder what stories they would have about you, if I asked."_

 _"You wouldn't dare," Sif smiles, though her cheeks flush pink._

 _"Oh wouldn't I? I wonder where Fandral is, I bet he has some good ones," Sigyn grins, and dashes off into the palace with Sif on her tail, desperate to keep such embarrassing tales from her younger sister._

 _Using some of the tricks she has been practising with Loki, Sigyn manages to send Sif in the wrong direction, chasing illusions. She begins heading back to her room, pleased with her use of magic._ Loki would be impressed, _she thinks._

 _"…he didn't deserve such harsh words, Odin."_

 _"Please, Frigga, do not berate me!"_

 _Sigyn's head turns at the sound of the King and Queen's raised voices. As usual, her curiosity outweighs the knowledge that she shouldn't be listening in. She summons enough magic to hide herself from sight, and moves quietly and carefully towards the sound._

 _As she comes to the door of the dining hall, she sees the Allfather sat in one of the chairs, his clenched fist resting on the table top and a bitter expression on his face._

 _"It isn't right to always cast him in Thor's shadow, you must see that," Frigga says, keeping her voice calm. She reaches out to take her husband's hand, kneeling down to look him in the eye. "It isn't fair."_

 _Sigyn's curiosity grows as she realises they are talking about Loki, and she dares to edge a little closer._

 _"Is that why you taught him your tricks?" Odin asks his wife, more harshly than intended._

 _"He has a gift for it," Frigga smiles gently, but the Allfather's face sours. "You have two talented sons, Odin, you should be proud of both of them."_

 _"Loki is not my son!" Odin hisses, bringing his hand down sharply on the table._

 _Sigyn's stomach turns cold and she stifles a gasp. Odin had begun to favour Thor as the two had grown up, she had known that, but she had simply thought it was because Loki was more like his mother. Can it be true? Is Loki really not the Allfather's son?_

 _This is not a conversation she should be overhearing, she knows that with every certainty now, but she is unable to walk away._

 _"Odin!" Frigga scolds, but her face is filled with sadness. "We took him in, and we raised him. Loki is as much our son as Thor is. And I will always love him as such."_

 _"I tried, Frigga, to treat him as our son. It was easier when he was a child, to just pretend… But I cannot do it any longer! How am I supposed to forget that he is the son of Laufey?"_

 _Sigyn's breath catches in her throat and she has to hold onto the wall for balance._ The son of Laufey? _She can't make sense of it – her best friend is the son of a Jotun? But how did Laufey's son end up being taken to Asgard? And why, why would the Allfather take in the child of his enemy and raise him as his own?_

 _Sigyn turns and runs back to her room, unable to comprehend what she has just heard. In her shock, her illusion breaks. She doesn't see the Allfather look up at the sound of her hurried footsteps, catching a glimpse of her before she vanishes around the corner._

* * *

Sigyn was slightly thrown off when Loki walked into the kitchen dressed in Midgardian clothes. Of course, she'd known SHIELD hadn't provided anything close to Asgardian garments, but it was still incredibly strange to see Loki in something other than his usual black and green. He looked noticeably uncomfortable in the navy sweatpants and white long sleeved t-shirt, his hair still slightly damp, but he looked less drained than he had that morning.

"How do you feel?" Sign asked kindly.

"Very under-dressed," Loki replied with a wry smile. "But I suppose it's better than rags."

Sigyn and Loki sat down slowly at the dining table, picking quietly at their breakfasts. They knew the conversation had to happen at some point, but were both very nervous about starting it. That was until Sigyn noticed the shape of the gold band under Loki's sleeve.

"Loki, is that…?" she began, gesturing to the band. He hesitated, then rolled back his sleeve and presented his arm so Sigyn could take a closer look. He didn't have to explain what it was; she would know what the runes meant.

"He took your magic… Why, Loki?" Sigyn asked, finally broaching the subject that had been weighing on their minds.

"Punishment, first and foremost," he replied bluntly. "And to prevent me using it against the mortals. I see you still have your talents."

Sigyn suddenly felt very guilty.

"Yes. I suppose that, being a healer, my magic doesn't pose a threat to the Midgardians. If anything, it's the reason I got any assistance from SHIELD when I arrived here."

"Why _are_ you here, Sigyn? I thought…"

"You thought I was dead?"

Loki glanced down at the table for a moment, unable to meet Sigyn's eyes. He took a long, slow breath before he spoke.

"The day before the summer solstice festival, Mother told me that you had fallen gravely ill during the night. She said that the healers had been unable to save you. Everyone was told that you had died – your mother, Sif, everyone – and we all mourned you. There was a funeral, I saw you on the barge… It must have been an illusion, I suppose. But why would they spread such a lie about you?"

"I was exiled from Asgard," Sigyn admitted quickly, wanting the truth said and done with. "I overheard something I was not supposed to know, and rather than risk my telling anyone, the Allfather ordered me cast out of Asgard. I imagine my death stirred up fewer questions than my banishment would have."

"What was it you overheard that Odin was so desperate to keep secret? What would be enough to warrant your exile?" Loki asked, a frown furrowing his brows.

Sigyn froze. She couldn't tell Loki that he was Laufey's son – it would break him.

"I… I can't even remember," she lied, with a humourless laugh. "But evidently Odin thought it was worth tearing me from my home for," she added with genuine bitterness.

Sigyn paused and focused on calming herself before her anger overcame her.

"At least SHIELD found me and helped set me up with a new life," she sighed. "Or I do not know where I'd be. But what about you, Loki? What are you doing here on Midgard, and why did SHIELD have you in a cell?"

"That," Loki began carefully. "Is a rather long story. One I think you will not like."


	7. Chapter VII

**Chapter VII**

"How much do you know already?" Loki asked. "If anything."

"I know that you were sent here to retrieve the Tesseract and open the portal in New York, and that you were on the SHIELD helicarrier for a short while," Sigyn explained. "But that's all the detail I was allowed to know. I didn't find out about it until a few months afterwards, when I overheard your name in conversation at the SHIELD base. I don't think they ever intended for me to find out."

"Why did they want to keep it from you?"

"SHIELD like keeping secrets," Sigyn replied matter-of-factly. "I'm only a healer, so I guess they decided I didn't need to know. They probably wanted me focused on helping the Midgardians once the fighting was over."

Loki's expression became one of surprise. "You were in New York?"

"Only after the battle ended. I was sent in with the medics to heal the most badly injured."

"And they only told you that I was sent to open the portal?"

"Yes," Sigyn answered plainly. She could tell Loki was hesitating, dancing around the subject, and she braced herself for whatever might come to light. "I could ask SHIELD for the rest of the details, but I would rather hear it from you. I can't trust them to tell the truth."

Loki could remember everything, in far too much clarity, but putting it into words was a complex task. Especially when he didn't know how to begin – he had no desire to reveal his Jotun parentage to Sigyn, the one person who remained in the dark about it. He decided he would not lie to her, but nor would he tell her the whole truth.

"My orders were to retrieve the Tesseract, and in return, the Chitauri would be mine to lead once the portal was open."

"Your orders?"

"There was… an arrangement, with a being known as Thanos," Loki explained slowly, feeling his throat tighten. In his mind, he was back there, on the bare rock where it should have been impossible to breathe. And that _creature_ was there, with its hissing voice and clammy grey skin, reminding him what was at stake-

"Loki?" Sigyn asked, concerned by her friend's sudden pallor. She reached across the table for his hand, and Loki drew away instinctively.

"Who is Thanos?"

"I do not know much about him," Loki admitted. "Only that he lives among worlds that even Asgardians had no knowledge of, and is capable of wielding great power."

"If he is from somewhere we did not know existed, then how did you come across him? How did you end up taking orders from him?"

"You're quite the interrogator," Loki joked drily, in response to Sigyn's rapid-fire questions.

"I'm sorry," Sigyn replied. "It's just that virtually nothing makes any sense at the moment. I'm trying to understand."

"I know."

There was a moment of silence as they met each other's eyes; both of them wishing things could be as simple as they once were.

"I fell from the bifrost," Loki confessed suddenly. "And on the other side of the void, I encountered Thanos. Well his servant, anyway."

"By the Aesir…" Sigyn muttered under her breath. Loki was speaking of something that filled every Asgardian with terror, but his voice hadn't even wavered. Falling into the void was considered to be a death sentence, but here was Loki talking about it as calmly as one would discuss the weather. Sigyn stared at her friend, unable to imagine what he had endured as he fell. No wonder he had changed…

"How did you _survive_?" Sigyn implored.

"It's not important," Loki dismissed her sharply, turning stony-faced.

Realising it would not be wise to press the matter, Sigyn thought carefully about her next question.

"Falling from the bifrost wasn't an accident, was it?" she guessed, and Loki shook his head.

"I was fighting Thor," he answered. "He had not long returned from his own banishment, and in his absence, I had learned that I had been fed a lie all my life. For all his words of encouragement, Odin had never intended for me to become king." Loki was grateful he could lie so easily, rather than admit that he was in fact heir to Laufey's throne on Jotunheim.

"I was only ever destined to live in Thor's shadow. I tried to keep Thor on Midgard, so I could take his place, but I was unsuccessful. When he found out, he was furious – we fought, and I fell."

"Thor was on Midgard too? _When?_ " Sigyn demanded, but Loki did not answer. He pushed his chair out and stood up slowly.

"If you'll excuse me, I'd rather not discuss it any further," he explained, and abruptly left the kitchen. Sigyn called after him, but did not move from her seat. As much as she wanted answers from Loki, she understood that he also had a lot to absorb and adjust to.

Sigyn's mind span as she tried to process what she had already learnt, and her mood soured. She was growing ever more annoyed at the number of secrets that had been kept from her. _The next time I see anyone from SHIELD,_ she thought to herself, _I'm going to find out just how much they aren't telling me_.

* * *

Loki slammed the door to the spare bedroom behind him and slumped onto the bed. Short as it had been, the conversation had exhausted him. With the absence of his pain, Loki's mind was clear and free to wander, and already it had begun to dredge up memories he would rather repress. They came to him fractured but vivid, like flashes of blinding light.

 _-he is falling, watching the edge of the bifrost grow farther and farther away. There is no rushing of air as he falls, only a crushing silence-_

 _-a creature with greying skin has a weapon at his throat, but he is barely conscious for long enough to get a decent look at what it is-_

 _-the Other is handing him a sceptre, and the power of the weapon is almost tangible-_

 _-he falls down with an agonised yell as the Other sends a searing pain through his skull-_

Loki cursed and punched the bedroom wall, hard enough to crack the plaster and bruise his knuckles. It hurt enough to distract him from his unwanted memories, but he knew they would soon return. He lay down on the bed, deciding it was wise to rest while he could. Slowly, Loki fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Sigyn had jumped at the sound of Loki hitting the wall, but didn't go to investigate. She was curled up in her armchair, still mulling over their conversation. Had anyone been watching her, they would have found it unnerving – Sigyn was completely still, staring blankly into space, hardly even blinking. The only sound was that of the dishwasher, and the quiet of the apartment seemed heavy and uncomfortable.

Suddenly coming to a decision, Sigyn stood and fetched her handbag, making sure she had her SHIELD agent ID card. She quickly scribbled a note to inform Loki she was going out, and slid it under the door of the guest room. Just as she was about to leave, the agent's words from yesterday came back to her. " _You might not know him anymore"_. She glanced down the hall at the door Loki had slammed shut, and with a sense of guilt, retrieved the gun the SHIELD agent had given her.


	8. Chapter VIII

**Chapter VIII**

From the outside, Denver's SHIELD headquarters looked very unremarkable. It stood ten floors high, made of grey concrete and tinted glass, advertising itself as the office complex of a stationary company. Sigyn strode through the lobby, the man at the front desk not looking up from his computer. Once the elevator doors had closed, she held her ID up to the hidden scanner.

"Agent ID card accepted. Retinal scan required for confirmation," announced a computerised voice.

Sigyn leaned in towards the scanner and stared straight ahead, trying not to blink as the green light swept across her eye.

"ID confirmed: Agent Nightingale," the voice continued after a moment.

"Floor ten, please," Sigyn requested, and the elevator began moving upwards. She tapped her foot impatiently, unable to keep still.

When the elevator doors opened, Sigyn wasted no time in heading for Agent Yates' office. The woman was sat at her desk, looking through some files with her brows creased, when the incensed Asgardian burst through the door. Agent Yates lifted her head slowly, regarding Sigyn with a calm and professional smile.

Although now working as an assistant director, Yates' career had begun in the field, and the rest of SHIELD treated her with nearly the same level of respect and reverence as Director Fury. No-one knew precisely which stories about her were true and which were urban myth. But even now, in her sixties and with her injured leg, the woman was undeniably strong-willed and intimidating. Very little had the ability to shake Agent Yates' resolve.

So when SHIELD's resident Asgardian barged in with her furious stare and clenched jaw, Yates didn't even blink.

"Can I help you, Agent Nightingale?" she asked politely, using the name SHIELD had given Sigyn.

"I want all the information you have on Thor and Loki," Sigyn demanded. Agent Yates rose from her chair, carefully closing the file on her desk.

"And this is because of your new… living arrangements?" Yates presumed, her tone taking a harsh edge. She had almost lost her brother in the Chitauri attack, and held nothing but contempt for Loki. Receiving the news the previous day that Loki was going to be living almost on their doorstep had left her in a very foul mood.

"It is because I very much dislike being kept in the dark" Sigyn countered. "And I shan't be leaving until I have what I came for."

"That information is none of your concern," Agent Yates replied. "Director Fury has not granted you access to it, and I trust his judgement."

"It is entirely my concern! They are _my_ people, _my_ friends, and you have no right to decide what I can and cannot know about them!" Sigyn objected.

Agent Yates took a long look at the irate woman, and let out a defeated sigh. She could see Sigyn's stubbornness would not falter, and was not in the mood for an extensive argument.

"Very well. I suppose you ought to know about the _monster_ you're living with," she conceded, making no attempt to hide her disdain for Loki.

"Watch how you speak," Sigyn warned, making use of her tall stature to stare Yates down.

* * *

They took the elevator down to the second basement level where the archived information was kept, both physical and digital.

"I need copies of everything we have on the war criminal Loki," Yates ordered the red-haired agent sat at the nearest computer. "The Battle of New York, Puente Antiguo, all of it."

"Ma'am… Does she have access for those files?" the agent asked nervously, gestured to Sigyn. He was obviously intimidated by her, especially knowing what Thor and Loki were capable of.

"I'm giving her access," Yates answered sharply. She turned to Sigyn. "When you have everything, you can show yourself out," she added, and promptly made her way back to the elevator.

It didn't take too long for the agent to pull everything together. Sigyn stood and watched, catching glimpses of images and video footage on the screen – Loki's face, the Chitauri attack, a town in smouldering ruins. When he was finished, the agent handed over a USB stick, which Sigyn pocketed quickly.

Instead of leaving the building, Sigyn made her way to the fourth floor, where a handful of agents were working at computers and talking into headsets. She made her way to one of the empty stations, logged on, and plugged in the USB. She had gotten used to Midgardian technology fairly easily, despite a slow start, and had no trouble pulling up the information she had been given. She slipped on her headset and opened one of the files. Sigyn had no desire to go through them back at her apartment, with Loki around, but still felt sheepish about digging around behind his back. She needed to know what was going on, though, and braced herself for what she was about to see.

She looked into Puente Antiguo first, not recognising the name, and was surprised to see images of Thor dressed in Midgardian clothes. _Loki said he had spent time on Midgard_ , Sigyn remembered, delving deeper into the files. She noted the photographs of a pretty brunette, and the strange sight of Mjolnir embedded in the dirt, surrounded by a strange white structure. Eventually she came to the footage of the Destroyer. She knew of the powerful guardian of Asgard's relics, but had never seen the full extent of its power. Its fiery beams had cut through the small town with horrifying ease, and with no concern for the lives that might be in danger.

Sigyn was not naïve – she realised who must have sent the Destroyer to Midgard, who had ordered its attack. But she couldn't understand why. She knew Loki could be quick to anger, and that he had always been resentful of how he was treated as second-best to Thor, but this? This wasn't Loki. If he ever acted on a grudge it was with cunning and trickery. What she was seeing was the product of pure, unbridled rage. What could have made Loki turn on his brother like that?

Trying to ignore the nauseous sensation building in her stomach, Sigyn quickly turned her attention to the records of the Chitauri invasion. She lingered on the suspiciously brief mention of the SHIELD research on the Tesseract – from what she had witnessed of SHIELD's operations, she doubted that having such a powerful relic in their grasp was a good thing. She had been relieved when she found out the Tesseract was to be kept in Asgard's vaults. Very little of the footage from Loki's arrival still existed – most of it being lost when the portal collapse destroyed almost the entire facility – but Sigyn examined the few retrieved fragments intently. Her stomach dropped as she saw Loki's unflinching attack. She knew he was skilled at fighting, she had seen him on the battlefield before, but there was something different about his assault. The cold smile that followed sent a chill through her bones.

Sigyn stared numbly at the screen as she sifted through the remainder of the files. There was no evidence within them of the Loki she knew. The man who threatened Agent Romanoff with a gleeful smile on his face, the man who demanded that people fall at his feet – he was a horrible, twisted parody of the man she had been forced to leave behind on Asgard. The proof of Loki's actions was there in front of her, plain as day, but in in her mind she couldn't accept the truth.

"You okay there, Nightingale?"

Sigyn jumped at the touch of someone's hand on her shoulder, and turned in her chair to find Agent Carrigan looking at her with concern. She gestured to the computer screen by way of reply, unable to properly vocalise what she was feeling. It was only then she noticed her hands were shaking.

"Oh… that," Carrigan commented weakly as he noticed the images of Loki. "I heard about him being back on Earth; how're you holding up?"

"I feel like I'm experiencing little bits of every emotion all at once," Sigyn blurted out truthfully. "But more than anything, I'm just completely confused."

"Sorry I couldn't tell you about this before – Fury would've had me shot."

"It's alright, I know there were orders to keep me in the dark," Sigyn replied, not entirely sure if Carrigan was joking.

"Listen, I've got to run, but let me know if you need anything, okay?" Carrigan gave her a sympathetic smile. "Catch you later, Nightingale."

Sigyn watched Agent Carrigan as he left. Initially assigned as her handler when she first moved to Denver, he had become probably her closest Midgardian friend. He knew of her friendship with Loki back on Asgard, and was kind enough to hide any resentment he might have had.

With a long sigh, Sigyn closed the files and unplugged the USB drive. She knew she couldn't hide at the SHIELD headquarters forever, and she was becoming increasingly conscious of the other agents staring at her. She made her way out of the building, trying not to think too hard about which version of Loki would be waiting back at the apartment.


	9. Chapter IX

**Chapter IX**

 _A shrill, panicked cry startles Sigyn from her reading. The sound is coming from the neighbouring room – Sif's room. Sigyn scrambles out of bed and runs to her sister's aid, only to find Sif staring into her mirror, running her hands over her now smooth, hairless scalp. Sigyn cannot help but snigger, and her sister turns on her angrily._

 _"This is_ not _funny, Sigyn!" she yells, her eyes still wide with shock._

 _"Well I think it rather suits you," Sigyn jokes, and has to dodge the cushion that Sif throws at her. "Really, Sif, it brings out your eyes."_

 _"Sigyn!" Sif near-screams. Then her face turns stony. "Loki did this," she hisses. "It must have been him."_

 _Sif grabs her sword and turns to the door, her eyes furious, so Sigyn quickly blocks her path._

 _"Listen, I'll go talk to him. You stay here, alright? I'll sort it out," she promises hurriedly, and slips out the door before her sister has a chance to reply._

 _Sigyn hammers on the door to Loki's quarters with a scowl on her face, ignoring the looks she gets from passing guards. She is about to shout his name when the door opens. The bleary-eyed prince looks at her in confusion, his hair ruffled and unkempt, but Sigyn barges past him._

 _"By all means, Sigyn, do come in," Loki remarks sarcastically, stifling a yawn as he closes the door. Sigyn gathers that he has been trying to sleep in, but feels no guilt for disturbing him._

 _"You're an idiot, Loki," Sigyn tells him bluntly, but he doesn't seem insulted by it._

 _"Is there any particular reason why, or did you just feel like letting me know?" he smiles with mock sincerity._

 _"Sif's_ hair _?" Sigyn replies, a little exasperated._

 _Loki's expression shifts – he suddenly looks more alert, a glint in his eye accompanying the now mischievous grin on his face._

 _"It worked?" he asks._

 _"Oh, definitely."_

 _Loki begins to chuckle, beaming from ear to ear._

 _"This isn't funny, Loki," Sigyn tries to scold him, but is unable to hold back her own smile at the memory of her sister's bald head._

 _"How does it look?"_

 _"Fantastic," Sigyn deadpans. "I told her it suits her but I don't think she quite believed me."_

 _With that, the two descend into a fit of laughter._

 _"She's going to kill you," Sigyn chokes out, grinning. "You should've seen her face. She was about to grab her sword and come hunt you down."_

 _"Well that hardly seems fair, I'm only settling the score," Loki smiles._

 _"What score?"_

 _"Do you not remember the time she knocked me off my horse in front of half of Vanaheim's dignitaries? It was humiliating!" Loki exclaims._

 _"It was rather funny though," Sigyn giggles, receiving a glare from Loki. "You looked so startled."_

 _"Thank you for your unwavering sympathy," Loki comments dryly._

 _"Don't be like that," Sigyn counters. "If you remember, I was the first to try and help you up."_

 _"I know. So… is Sif really that angry?"_

 _Sigyn rolls her eyes – Loki takes far too much pride in his tricks. But she cannot berate him for them when she finds them so amusing herself. She can't deny that she has called on Loki's help in settling more than a few of her own scores over the years._

 _"She's furious, Loki. You know how proud she is of her hair. You'd better keep your guard up if you run into her. And whatever you do, don't let her catch you laughing."_

 _"Have you not fixed it, then? I would have thought you could grow it back?" Loki asks, his smile fading slightly as he realises he may have made a mistake in his plans. If a healer cannot grow back Sif's hair, then he is in far more trouble than he expected to be._

 _"Oh, I can," Sigyn replies, to Loki's relief. Her grin turns impish. "I just haven't told Sif yet. I figured you'd want a chance to admire your handiwork."_

* * *

Sigyn smiled at the memory. Back on Asgard, her reputation for troublemaking had only just fallen short of Loki's. If anyone had crossed either of them, revenge had been swift and very amusing.

Her expression fell as she refocused on the photo on her tablet; Loki, on the SHIELD helicarrier, looking down at a crumpled body. As much as she wanted to never look at the file again, to pretend the evidence of Loki's actions didn't exist, she hadn't been able to help opening them up again. She sat in her living room, scanning through everything in the hope of finding some clue as to what had happened to change her friend into a heartless killer. But so far, she had found nothing.

Her head shot up at the sound of a door opening down the hall. Loki shuffled into view, still slightly dishevelled from sleeping, examining Sigyn's crumpled note. Apart from his attire, he looked so similar to when he she had gone to confront him about Sif's hair, and Sigyn's stomach tightened

"Oh, you're back," Loki commented as he noticed her. "Where did you go?"

"To the local SHIELD headquarters," Sigyn replied. She knew that she had to confront Loki about what he had done. She decided sooner was better than later, and took a deep, steadying breath. "I went looking for this," she explained, pushing the tablet towards Loki. He picked it up, confused, and his expression hardened at the photo on the screen.

"Why do you have this?" he asked sharply, returning the tablet.

"Because I was tired of being kept in the dark. I had them give me everything. Puente Antiguo, New York, all of it. I didn't want to go behind your back, and I'm sorry that I did, but I need to know what's going on. I know you don't want to talk about it, Loki, but I need to know what happened to turn the friend I knew into a stranger. When I knew you, you only ever killed if you truly had to, to defend yourself. You never found joy in taking a life. But all those agents, those people in New York… they had no need to die!" Sigyn's voice was now raised, and angry tears had begun to appear in her eyes.

" _When you knew me_?" Loki asked, still desperately trying to avoid the question, even at the risk of Sigyn's rage. "You still do," he tried to placate her.

Sigyn glanced down at the photo on the tablet, and her tears finally spilled over. When she met Loki's eyes, her own were hollow.

"No, I don't think I do."

Her words stung, and Loki finally gave in, slumping onto the sofa with a long sigh. For so long, he had put his pride first, believing it was all he had left. But he could not risk losing Sigyn, not again. While he knew that the truth – or as much of it as he could bear to tell her – would strain their friendship, she deserved to know it. And it would do him no good to keep pushing away the only person on Midgard who had any reason to show him kindness.

"I'm not sure where to begin…" Loki murmured, just loud enough for Sigyn to hear. Her face softened, and she came over to sit beside him.

"What happened after I left?" Sigyn prompted gently, resting her hand on Loki's forearm. He flinched slightly, from force of habit – he had become unaccustomed to the idea of physical contact as comforting – but did not pull away.

"The summer solstice was never the same," Loki began solemnly. "The first, the day after they told me you had died, I couldn't stand to be in the halls with everyone else. It didn't seem right. Sif joined me for a while, actually, and she- she gave me your solstice gift."

"The drawing?" Sigyn asked. "You know, I'd almost forgotten about it."

"It was wonderful, I never knew you had such a talent. Thank you," Loki told her. She smiled back at him, and he felt even more wretched over what he had yet to tell her.

"Things were… different, after you were gone," he continued, hating the way Sigyn's smile fell from her eyes. "Thor's shadow only grew bigger, as did my resentment. Around two years after we were told you had died, Odin announced that Thor was to be officially crowned his successor. There was something in the way he told us, that made me feel like I had never even been under consideration. I was angry, so I made plans to ruin Thor's coronation."

"How?" Sigyn asked tentatively.

"I helped a trio of Frost Giants into the weapon's vault. I knew the alarm would be raised, interrupting the ceremony, but also that the Destroyer could deal with the incursion. It all went according to my plan, but Thor was not satisfied to let their actions slide. He wanted to teach the Frost Giants a lesson."

Sigyn's stomach twisted uncomfortably; she knew how eager for battle Thor had been before she was exiled, and it wasn't hard to imagine how he would have reacted.

"He went to Jotunheim," Sigyn stated with fair certainty.

"We all did: Thor, myself, Sif, Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral. There was no stopping Thor once he set his mind to something, you know that. If we accompanied him, I reasoned, we might be able to prevent him getting himself killed. Heimdall guessed our intentions; he only let us pass because he was so desperate to know how three Jotuns slipped past his guard."

"How _did_ they get into Asgard?" Sigyn interrupted, unable to suppress her curiosity.

"There are passageways into Asgard even Heimdall cannot see. As far as I am aware, only I know of them," Loki explained.

"You never told me."

"I discovered them after you were gone. I wandered Asgard a lot, to begin with – I couldn't bear to be surrounded by the looks of pity that seemed to follow me."

"What happened on Jotunheim?" Sigyn asked, hoping to spur Loki's explanations before he changed his mind about giving them.

"Thor's pride got us into trouble," he told her, with clear annoyance. "We were lucky to escape with our lives, but Laufey promised that Thor would get what he came looking for. He declared war on Asgard."

"By the Aesir…" muttered Sigyn. She had heard every story of the war that had been fought against the Jotuns, and she knew the bloodshed it had wrought. The thought of a second chilled her to the core.

"Odin was furious – and he banished Thor to Midgard to prove himself worthy of his place on Asgard. The Allfather hoped that living a while as a mortal might teach him humility. It was while Thor was gone that I discovered that-" Loki stalled, the truth of his parentage heavy on his tongue. It was the one thing he couldn't tell Sigyn, the one thing he knew would irreparably damage their friendship.

"-that Odin never intended for me to rule. All his words when I was a child, about how I was born to be a king, were mere lies. When I confronted him, he fell into the Odinsleep, and I took that as an opportunity. I assumed the throne while he slept, and told Thor that he was banished to Midgard permanently, to ensure peace with Laufey. I thought if he were to remain on Midgard, then the throne would be mine."

"All that for the throne?" Sigyn frowned.

"I was tired of living in the shade of Thor's glory," Loki explained, his words bitter. "I endured it for so long because I had hope that I might, one day, be properly recognised. But to find out that I was destined to stay in that shadow my whole life- I felt betrayed, belittled. Of course, Thor found out that I had lied, and we fought. All the anger I had harboured over the years, I directed at him. But he gained the upper hand, and I- I fell from the Bifrost."

Loki paused, looking to Sigyn as though he was staring intently at the floor. But what he was really seeing was the endless blackness of the void between the Realms, as if he were once more falling through its crushing silence.


	10. Chapter X

**Chapter X**

Loki could see Sigyn's hand move and take his own, but he could hardly feel it. He felt paralysed – not frozen in place, but as though his body was too heavy for him to move.

It had happened before, each time he found himself remembering the fall. Even there, in a little apartment on Midgard, Loki could feel the cold of the void, tendrils of its darkness twisting and coiling their way through his head. As though it had woven a part of itself into his mind over the course of the hours, the days he had spent falling further and further away from Asgard. The Other's voice had sounded like a mountain cleaving in two when it first broke through the awful, hollow silence of the space between the Realms.

A warm sensation starting in his fingers broke through the cold of his memories, and Loki refocused on the living room. In a matter of seconds he began to feel calmer, as the same warmth inched its way through his whole body. He knew the trick – Frigga taught it to him when he was younger, and he had passed it on to Sigyn. It was only a short-term solution, but Loki was grateful for any opportunity to shake off what was haunting him.

"You wandered off for a moment there," Sigyn commented. "What were you seeing?"

"The place between the Realms," Loki replied simply, and watched as Sigyn's concern turned to sympathy.

"I'm sorry for pushing you, I only-"

"You had every right to demand answers."

"Well I think I can wait before I get anymore – I realise that this isn't easy for you. And I'm sorry for what I said before," Sigyn added sheepishly.

"It's alright, I understand. I know there's a lot I need to explain to you."

"But that can wait for now," Sigyn smiled. "You need to rest, to try and take your mind off it for a little while. Don't think you're off the hook, though," she continued, giving Loki a playful nudge. "I'm probably going to ask more questions tomorrow."

"Of course, I promise I won't avoid them this time," Loki said sincerely. Hard as it was, if he had to tell someone, he was glad it was Sigyn. Besides Frigga, she was the person Loki had trusted most back on Asgard. "I don't know how you intend to 'take my mind off it', though. It's a rather hard thing to forget."

Sigyn's face broke into a hesitant grin.

"I have an idea that might work – it's a Midgardian trick I learned when I first got here," she explained, getting up from the sofa and making a beeline for one of the tall, dark cabinets.

Loki raised a sceptical eyebrow; he was doubtful of the capabilities of Midgardians. But Sigyn seemed fairly confident, based on her smile, so he decided to give it a chance. She returned to the sofa, and with a clatter, deposited an armful of small, rectangular objects on the coffee table. Loki regarded them with a mixture of caution and curiosity. Each had a different image printed on it, usually containing one or more faces, and a word or phrase written in strange letters. Picking one up for closer inspection, he discovered that they were, in fact, small boxes, containing a single disk.

"What is the purpose of these?" he eventually asked, having been unable to discern anything from examining the strange objects. He couldn't work out what they _were_ ; never mind how they were supposed to help distract him.

"The Midgardians call them 'movies'," Sigyn explained. "There are millions and millions of them, I only have a few."

"But what _are_ they? I assume the important part is the disk-thing?"

Sigyn stifled a laugh, suddenly realising how ridiculous she must have looked to Agent Carrigan when he first handed her a copy of _Lord of the Rings_. She remembered how odd the concept had seemed to her at first, but she had quickly learned to appreciate Midgardian entertainment. The idea of being able to introduce it to someone else was exciting, and watching Loki peer suspiciously at the DVD case in his hands was rather amusing.

"Yes, the disk is the important part. You put it in the television, and then you watch the movie. It's a form of entertainment."

"So there are images within the disk?" Loki guessed.

"Yes, it's a little like – I'm trying to remember how they explained it to me – they have people who act out stories, and they can record the images of it and put it on disks. The people who make the movies, make millions of copies of each story, so Midgardians can buy one and watch it in their homes. There are also these special buildings where they go to see them, but I'll explain those later."

"I think I understand, a little… And Midgardians do this for distraction?"

"Yes, and for general amusement. Do you want to pick one to watch?"

Loki scanned the selection of Sigyn's 'movies', examining the images on the boxes, and what he assumed were the names of each one. One had a quite complex cover, made up of various images; the faces of four Midgardians, a small green creature, several metal constructions with long spindly legs, and what Loki assumed to be a fifth Midgardian dressed in a strange black mask.

"What is this one?" he asked, holding it up for Sigyn to see.

"Oh, that's _Star Wars_ , it's set in a different galaxy, there's a rebellion and a lot of space travel… That's actually the second in a trilogy; I don't have the first, so maybe not the best choice," Sigyn explained hurriedly. She was going to have to chase Carrigan down about _Episode IV_ – he'd borrowed it over a month ago.

"This?" Loki tried, holding up a mostly black box plastered with a red, white and yellow emblem, depicting a strange beast with lots of razor-sharp teeth. " _Jurassic Park_?"

"Ah, dinosaurs… that's going to require a whole separate explanation, perhaps another time. It took me a long while to get my head wrapped around the idea."

Loki turned back to the assortment of movies, lips pursed.

"Why does the girl on this one appear to be on fire? And wielding a bow?"

"Ooh, _The Hunger Games_ , I'm quite fond of that one!" Sigyn replied enthusiastically.

"And what is the subject?"

"Well… The 'Hunger Games' is a kind of tournament, the last-person-standing kind," Sigyn explained, and Loki passed her the box.

"I think this one will do," he told her. "I think it could be interesting to see a Midgardian tournament."

"Well, it's not quite- Actually, I'll let you watch it and find out," Sigyn smiled, and set about getting the movie ready.

Both Asgardians were sat on the couch, the movie just beginning, when Sigyn suddenly jumped up from her seat, freezing the image on the screen.

"I almost forgot – movie snacks!" she laughed, and ran over to the kitchen. "I won't be a moment, Loki," she called back over her shoulder.

Within a minute or two, she had returned laden down with what Loki assumed was Midgardian food. There was a bowl containing thin, yellowish circles, another containing pale golden cloud-like shapes, and a box of small, decorative shapes in shades of white and brown.

With Sigyn settled back into her seat, the movie was allowed to begin.

"Is this… a real place on Midgard?" Loki asked, no more than a few minutes in.

"No, it's fictional – an imaginary dystopian future of America. But parts of it were acted in actual locations around Midgard, the rest is usually done in purpose-built artificial landscapes and buildings," Sigyn clarified as best she could.

"I see," Loki replied. "And I hope the Games themselves do not exist in reality? When you mentioned a tournament I wasn't expecting such a barbaric ritual – forcing mere children to fight each other to the death!" he exclaimed, and Sigyn smiled; her plan seemed to be working.

"No, the Games aren't real."

"I'm glad of it," Loki declared, before returning his full attention back to the movie. He would be reluctant to admit it to any mortal, but he was already finding their entertainment fascinating. It bore a little resemblance to the Asgardians who would perform at festivals and celebrations, re-enacting great stories and legends from the past. But in the Midgardian movie, the view moved about – closing in on the faces of those speaking and reacting, showing all the aspects of the surroundings – and something about it seemed so much more immersive than the performances he had watched back on Asgard. He soon found he was eager to find out what would happen, and was full of questions for his friend.

"Sigyn, why do the people of the 'Capitol' choose such unusual clothes and hair? And colour their faces the way they do?"

"Because they have such easy lives, I think all their focus goes onto things like their appearance. Also, I think the original idea behind it is to create such a large contrast between the Capitol and the other districts."

"Why must the tributes be dressed up in such elaborate costumes and paraded around? Why does it matter what they wear when they're being made to fight to the death?"

"For the Capitol, the Games are simply entertainment. A spectacle. Now shh, and actually watch it – I can answer questions later!" Sigyn grinned. She was amused with how much Loki seemed to be engrossed in the movie. From what she understood, it had been far too long since he had been able to forget everything going on around him and just enjoy himself. She laughed to herself when she caught the occasional piece of whispered commentary from Loki.

"Her skill with a bow is actually quite impressive."

"Well that's a little of an overreaction."

"That Midgardian woman's hair is annoying me."

"Sigyn, wait! Are those performers dead?" Loki cried suddenly as the bloodbath at the Cornucopia occurred onscreen. "Do they kill people to make these movies?"

"What? No!"

"But the wound – how could they survive that?"

"It's fake, Loki, it's all done with special tricks to look as realistic as possible."

"Oh, I see. Well I must admit it's quite convincing." Loki mumbled, more than a little embarrassed over his outburst.

"Don't worry, I panicked the first time I saw something like that too," Sigyn reassured him as he settled back into watching.

It wasn't until halfway through the film that Loki decided, tentatively, to try some of the Midgardian food Sigyn had brought out. After all, she had been picking at it quite contentedly, so it couldn't be that bad, surely. He reached for one of the small, cloud-shaped things first, examining it carefully before popping it into his mouth. The texture was unusual, and the taste was at a strange point between savoury and sweet. Loki frowned, deciding he would perhaps leave them to Sigyn. He reached for one of the thin yellow circles and bit off a small piece.

"Ah!" he spluttered as a sharp, acidic tang hit his tongue, dropping the rest of the circle onto his lap.

"Loki?" Sigyn asked with concern, quickly freezing the movie in place. "What is it?"

"Those circular things," Loki began, still wincing from the taste. "What _are_ they? Why do they sting?"

Sigyn couldn't help but snicker.

"They're called potato chips," she told him, laughing at his scrunched up expression. "These ones are flavoured with salt and vinegar – they can be quite tangy, especially if you're not used to them. I should have warned you, sorry." Loki didn't feel her apology was very heartfelt, seeing as she was still trying to hide her giggling.

"Well, I suppose they aren't too bad," he said, unable to stop himself smiling at Sigyn's amusement. "Once you get past the initial shock."

"Here," she said, passing him the box containing the final foodstuff. "Try these, they're chocolate pralines. They're delicious." Loki regarded her suspiciously.

"Is this a trick?" he enquired, which served only to further Sigyn's laughter.

"No tricks, I promise," she assured him, and he cautiously picked one out and placed it on his tongue.

Sigyn hadn't been lying – it was possibly the best thing he'd ever tasted. The chocolate praline, whatever that was, melted in his mouth; nutty, rich and sweet.

Satisfied that Loki had recovered from his vinegar-related shock, Sigyn resumed the movie, not failing to notice that her friend kept returning to the box of pralines.

When the credits finally rolled, Sigyn turned to Loki, ready to ask his opinion, but he spoke before she had a chance.

"Does the story continue?" he asked. "I feel as though there is more to be told."

"Yes," Sigyn told him with a smile. "There are three more movies – although I only have one more besides this."

"Might we watch it? For such dull creatures, the Midgardians do have an intriguing way of telling stories. I hate to admit it, but I do prefer it to the solstice performances."

Sigyn looked at Loki, saw how his smile had finally reached his eyes, and she felt like she could be looking at her friend from before all of this. Before Loki's fall, and before her exile.

"Of course," she smiled warmly. "Just let me fetch it."


End file.
